E-ffectiveness of e-books
How effective are e-books? That depends on what you want them to be effective at, and whether they are a step up from something else. Are they effective teaching tools, or are they effective cost savers?
A quick search of academic articles will easily give results for both sides. Some studies (Annand, 2008) show that e-books don’t affect learning much at all (at least in the accounting course they used as a test group/scenario), and in their study did not pay off in terms of savings until they passed the 200-book-mark.
Other studies (Chau, 2008) showed “that when used as a teaching supplement, electronic books have a positive impact on learning. They can be valuable in helping children with their early literacy development, reading comprehension, and language development.” This hints, perhaps, that they should not replace paper text but be used in conjunction with it. Some students (who are more used to electronics, perhaps) may benefit more from them than paper texts, and some probably won’t.
In short, it sounds like an easy conclusion, but I think the pros and cons in each unique situation must be looked at to answer the question of whether an e-book would be an effective choice or not.
Annand, D. (2008). Learning efficacy and cost-effectiveness of print versus e-Book instructional material in an introductory financial accounting course. Journal of Interactive Online Learning. 7(2). 152 – 164. Retrieved from http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/7.2.5.pdf
Chau, M. (2008). The effects of electronic books designed for children in education. Scroll: Essays on the design of electronic text. 1(1). Retrieved from http://fdt.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/fdt/article/viewArticle/4904/1762
Posted in: Week 06: eBooks
Everton Walker 5:24 pm on October 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Mcquaid,
I am not surprised about the impact ebook has on literacy development. I too saw a few reports where it impacted literacy positively. I also think it is more practical to measure literacy because of the features that are geared toward meaning and comprehension. It is with this in mind that I am planning on testing the waters for myself.
Everton
hall 2:30 am on October 14, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Mcquaid,
I read Annand’s research report and was very impressed with the saving that the purchasing of eBooks brought the university. It would appear that eBooks are beneficial to publishers, teachers and students in terms of reduced cost. But I also think it is more convenient and flexible for teachers and students.
jenaca 2:01 pm on October 14, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey, I agree with your post. I believe that anyone who buys an ebook will benefit not only from a positive reading experience, but also save money, even with purchasing the ebook. Because there are so many different brands and costs on the market, people have several to choose from- expensive to inexpensive.
Jenaca
ifeoma 8:12 pm on October 14, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Mcquaid,
I like how you have categorised niche areas for the ebooks, It actually helps to analyse its pedagogical relevance and effectiveness by separating the possibilities. it is also help to identify reasons why institutions embrace learning technology- to save cost and to improve teaching or leaning capacity. Good ideas for an EVA to leverage for decision making.